The present invention relates to a light bath and more particularly to one capable of effectively applying visible light rays to all of the skin's surface to energize a person's skin as well as the internal organs.
In recent years, a large number of persons suffer from incurable diseases such as gout, neuralgia and rheumatism or pain from injuries, bone fractures and from other ill-defined diseases. Furthermore, no one can be free from their skin's aging which progresses gradually from a comparatively young age. On the other hand, the present applicant has previously proposed focusing solar rays or artificial light rays by using lenses or the like, to guide them into a fiber optic cable and to transmit them to any place where the light is needed for illumination or for other purposes as for example, to cultivate plants, chlorella, fish or the like. As a result of the applicant's research, it has been found that the visible light not containing ultraviolet and infrared rays is effective not only to promote health and to prevent one's skin from showing signs of aging but also to noticeably aid in healing gout, neuralgia, bedsores, rheumatism, burn, skin diseases, bone fracture, and so on and in relieving pain from such diseases. In order to relieve pain from such diseases it is usually necessary to irradiate the patient's diseased portion with visible light. However, in some instances, it has also been proven that irradiation with weak visible light rays may bring the same results in relieving the pain if the radiation time is prolonged. In practice, local radiation with weak light rays has been applied as therapy for various kinds of diseases. It is well known that sunbathing may promote the health of persons but sunlight includes ultraviolet rays which may exert an adverse effect on the skin. Therefore, sunbathing is prohibited to one who is in poor health. The accumulation of ultraviolet rays on people's skin may contribute to cancer while the accumulation of infrared rays may cause the skin to burn. Consequently, overexposure to light containing ultraviolet and infrared rays must be avoided.
In view of the foregoing explanation, the applicant has previously proposed a light bath that is safe by radiating light that contains no harmful ultraviolet and infrared rays. The light bath proposed by the applicant has the interior covered with mirrors and a light guide for supplying visible light rays into the light bath. Visible light rays emitted from the light guides are reflected on the inner surface of the light bath and thereby are evenly spread in the internal space of the light bath. Light-emitting points may be evenly arranged in the light bath. However, it may also be possible to arrange the light-emitting points in such a way as to supply stronger light rays to a certain place as for instance, a person's shoulders or to radiate light rays from fewer light emitting points and to further diffuse the light rays by reflecting them onto the inner wall of the light bath. A person enters into the light bath and expose his naked body to the light rays radiated therein as mentioned above. Accordingly, the light bath is provided with an access door that is easily opened. The light bath is also equipped with a cloth container fixed thereon for storing clothes that a person has taken off after having entered the bath. Furthermore, the upper cover member is made of a transparent material to allow the occupant to see outside and it can be opened from the inside to get to the outside for putting clothes into the cloth basket. The light bath allows the occupant to use therein such communication means as a wireless telephone, a push-button switch or others. When the light bath is equipped with a transparent foot plate for irradiating the light rays from the bottom up, the soles of the occupant's feet can be exposed to the light thereby promoting health by improving blood circulation. fiber optic cable for receiving sunlight or artificial light (xenon) at its input end from a solar ray collecting device and for transmitting the light therethrough. The light rays to be transmitted through said fiber optic cable are ones that correspond to the visible spectrum light (white light) obtainable in various ways as previously proposed by the present applicant.
When the light bath is used, a socket for the light-receiving end of the light guide is coupled with a socket for the light-emitting end of the fiber optic cable. At this time the light rays transmitted through the fiber optic cable are introduced into the light guide through the sockets coupled with each other and then they are radiated into the light bath and reflected on the inner walls of the light bath to be evenly applied to the entire surface of a person's body. The inside temperature of the light bath can be set at any desired level by introducing air previously heated or cooled to the desired temperature into the light bath with the use of an air hose which, at the time of light bathing, is connected to an air inlet provided at the upper portion of the light bath. The air introduced into the bath is then drawn out from the bath through an air outlet provided at a lower portion of the light bath. The above-mentioned light bath is constructed so that a person takes a light bath in a standing position. However, it is also possible to provide a light bath wherein a person may sit down or lie down by modifying the shape of the light bath as for example, a light bath with a reduced height or a horizontal type installed with a chair or a bed therein. When a chair or a bed made of a transparent material is installed in the modified light bath, a more effective light bath can be taken.